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We have a lot of new players so I would like to give some advice on how to get a “good” default date:

– Please keep in mind that the decision for the default date is based on admin discretion. However, the admin setting the default date will always try to satisfy both teams.

– ETF2L’s weeks run on a Sunday to Sunday schedule. The schedule deadline is the Thursday before the playweek and the default dates will always be set on Friday or (if all admins are busy/too lazy on Friday) Saturday.

– An admin will never set a default date to any day after the match deadline (= Saturday). Playing after the match deadline is only possible for Sunday and only if the teams arrange the match themselves.

– It is unlikely that an admin will set a default date to Friday or Saturday evening but it might still happen, if one team states a good reason for choosing this date and the other does not respond to the proposals at all.

– Wildcarded matches will get a default date as well. Default dates for wildcarded matches will be set 7 days prior to the match’s new deadline.

I do not guarantee that you will always get a good default date if you follow these instructions. In the end, it is up to admin discretion! However, these tips will dramatically increase your odds of getting a good default date.

So how can your team increase the chances for a good default date?

1) The easiest way to get your preferred schedule (and save the admins some work) is to arrange it until Thursday (Default dates are set on Friday, based on all information that can be found on the match page).

2) If your opponent does not communicate with you at all, it is easy. In that case you can almost “choose” the default date by proposing your preferred day via the schedule system or in the match comments.

3) The key for a good default date is to show your proposals on the match page. If you talked to your opponent, paste the result in the match comments. Keep in mind that the admins cannot read your mind and so provide them with all relevant information on your scheduling process.

4) The admin in charge will always try to avoid setting the date to a day where one team can not play. If you can not play on certain days, note it in the match comments and update the list, if anything changes.

5) If you have another match on the coming week, whether in ETF2L or other leagues, say so in the match comments. The admins do not have the time to check for match overlap.

6) In case you got a bad default date, think what you could do better next time. Try to see things from the admin’s perspective. What information could he have? If you were an admin, to which day would you have set the default date?
Do not instantly !admin and complain about it (unless it was obviously a mistake by the admin like a default date at 13.00 CEST or a double booking with another ETF2L match) Try to talk to your opponent first. You will be surprised what a simple chat can do.

7) If teams can not agree on a schedule (e.g. one can only play from Sunday to Wednesday, the other one only on Friday and Saturday) the default date will probably be a day that is not perfect for either team (in this example Thursday) so please try to arrange something with the other team.

8) If neither team proposes a schedule or leaves a match comment with proposals, the default date will most likely be Sunday, 20.30 CEST.

9) A comment like “When can you play?” or “I added your leader” does not help your case unless you want to notify the other team by email. These comments do not help the admin to find a good default date because they contain no information on the days you are available.

10) Do not try to abuse this knowledge. If a team from the timezone GMT-2 states they can under no circumstances play before 23.00 CEST because their opponent has players from GMT+3 and probably has to wildcard or forfeit at that time, the admins will notice it and probably rather set the default date in favour of the other team.

11) Last but not least, you can always reschedule after a default date if both teams agree.

If you have any further questions about the default date process, please join #etf2l on Quakenet / IRC and type !admin.

Good luck and have fun :)

Could you guys also put what the use the of wild cards do on the match dates? I’m still trying to find out what they specifically do.

Quoted from Dr. Mario

Could you guys also put what the use the of wild cards do on the match dates? I’m still trying to find out what they specifically do.

Wildcards are not available for the Highlander Open, they are used for other ETF2L competitions.